


King and Lionheart

by shadow_prince



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Expect the slowest of burns, Gryffindor Remus Lupin, Historical AU, Just in the flashback and it's not violent, Like, M/M, Minor Character Death, Pining, Single Dad Sirius Black, Single Parents, Slow Burn, Slytherin Sirius Black, still magical though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-03-05 23:17:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18838801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadow_prince/pseuds/shadow_prince
Summary: After the passing of his wife from chronic illness, Sirius Black asked his brother to fill his role in the Wizengamot while he mourned. Now, two years later, he is ready to return to his position in the Wizarding Council and Ministry, but first he will need a governess to live with him, to tutor and care for his three young children until they are of age for Hogwarts.“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”-Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice





	1. Prologue

_ “I’m not ready for you to go.” _

_ “We always knew this day would come, Siri.” _

_ “Yes, but not yet.” _

_ “You gave me everything I thought I’d never have. Now it’s your turn.” _

_ “But-” _

_ “No, promise me. Promise me you’ll find a husband and the two of you will raise our kids right. You deserve all the happiness you’ve given me and everyone else in your life. Be a little selfish for once, love. For me?” _

_ “I love you.” _

_ “I know you do. Thank you for everything.” _

_ “Stop saying that.” _

_ “Thank you, Siri. Love you and the kids. Forever.” _

_ With that, she was gone. Sirius bowed his head and let the tears fall freely until there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” he called out, wiping his cheeks with the sleeve of his robes. _

_ The redheaded healer peered inside, before stepping in and closing the door behind her. “Are you alright.” _

_ “Of course not. This has been a long time coming, but even still there’s no way to be ready for your best friend’s death. Still,” he sniffed, rising from the chair, “I have to go tell the children.” He brushed the hair back from his wife’s forehead, pressing one last kiss to the painfully young, smooth dark skin there. “I leave her in your hands then.” _

_ It was a struggle not to look back, not to cling to the past and the safety of the lie he and Aria had worked so hard to create, but he squared his shoulders and left the room, dreading the task of telling their children that their mother had passed. _


	2. Chapter 2

“Black!”

“Potter,” Sirius greeted, as the man clapped him on the shoulder good naturedly. 

“We’ve missed you, I’m glad you’re back. Of course, your brother did a fine job covering in your absence, he just doesn’t quite have your level of…”

“Pushiness? Aggression? Deviant counter-culturalism?”

“I was going to say savoir-faire, but perhaps a little of all those things as well. To be honest with you, I thought he was going to pass out when Nott stood up in the middle of a legislation session and threatened to hang his house elf in the Ministry’s front lobby in retaliation for the House Elf Rights Act if it were passed.”

Sirius winced even though Regulus had already told him the story. “Yes, I can hardly blame him. Nott should change his last name to Nutter, if you ask me. I don’t think anyone is more happy than Regulus that I’m back.”

“Things are in order at home then?”

“Almost. I wanted to take some time to just be with my kids for a while after Aria’s passing. Make sure that I was there for them around the clock, since they were used to her always being with them. We’re finalising the transfer of deed of Grimmauld Place to Regulus’ name, and I have purchased a country manor free of all memory of Blacks.” He stopped walking, turning to face James Potter directly now that they were out of the Wizengamot chambers. “Somewhere fresh, you know?”

“Yes, I understand. I know it has been a few years, but I haven’t had the chance to tell you directly, I am  _ truly _ sorry about your wife’s passing. She was a wonderful woman and is still sorely missed.”

“Thank you, that does mean a lot. We had known since we were children she wasn’t destined for a long life because of her condition, but knowing didn’t make it any easier.”

“When will you move to the new manor then?”

“The sooner the better, but I am held up on finding a governess for my children.”

“Oh!” James tapped his chin thoughtfully. “I believe I have someone for you, if you were interested?”

“Truthfully, I’m desperate. No one has quite fit the mold I was looking for.”

“Did you know Remus Lupin at Hogwarts?”

Sirius strained to remember. The name did ring a bell, but hardly more than that. “Perhaps, was he our year then?”

“Yes, a Gryffindor with me, and Prefect. He has been caring for the children of a family who both parents work full time, but the youngest is headed to Hogwarts next week and he’s looking for a new station. Top marks, wonderful bloke, but he generally still has, ah-  _ difficulties _ finding new employment when one ends because of the way the moon occasionally affects him.” James winked. “He’s actually a rather large fan of yours for your work writing the legislation making it illegal to fire werewolves for missing work due to the full moon. Has helped him tremendously over the years, when he finds an employer willing to hire him in the first place.”

“I’ll have to pick his mind before the next round of votes. He’s amenable to living on site? If you think he’d be a good fit, then send him my way at his convenience. I’ll be at Grimmauld all week.”

“I’ll tell him to owl ahead.”

❧

Stepping out of the fireplace, Sirius dusted soot from the floo that had settled on his robes. “Papa!” He  _ oofed _ softly as a small body collided with him, arms around his legs before he even saw her coming. “Where  _ were _ you, you were gone  _ forever.” _

He chuckled, running his fingers through thick, tangled black hair. “It was only a few hours, Saiph. What will you do when I return to work full time?”

The girl pulled back just far enough to look up and him and scowl, arms still holding tight around him as high as she could reach. “I didn’t agree to this.”

“My apologies, I’ll be sure to ask permission next time,” he replied dryly.

“That’s sarcasm. I know, because Uncle Reg says I’m too sarcastic for my own good and something about I take after my father.”

“I have no idea what he’s talking about.”

Saiph eyed him doubtfully. “Uh, huh.”

“Where are your siblings?”

“Cas was reading,  _ like always,  _ and I think Aunt Emma was giving Altair a bath.”

Sirius frowned as he climbed the stairs, his daughter jogging along next to him to keep up. “Why did he need a bath? I just bathed him last night.”

“Ummmmmmmm.”

“Saiph,” he warned.

“He fell in some mud.”

“Fell?”

“Yup.”

“On his own.”

She hedged, shuffling from foot to foot. “Well…”

Regulus stepped out of a nearby room, drying his hands on a towel and frowning down at the water splattering the front of his shirt. “What your daughter is _ trying _ to say, is that she caught a pixie and released it on her brother, who fell in a mud puddle while running away from it.”

“I’m just going to go to me room-”

Sirius caught her by the arm before she could make her escape. “Nice try. Go help your Aunt Emma.”

The girl groaned but did as she was told, stomping her way petulantly into the bathroom behind Regulus.

His brother watched her go with amusement, before turning back to Sirius. “If ever I consider having another, just send me your children for a day and I’ll remember that one is enough.”

Sirius closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose.

“Everything went smoothly?”

“Yes. I spoke with Potter on my way out and he may have a solution to my child care problem as well.”

“Worth the trip in itself, then. You’re  _ sure _ you want to give this place to me?”

“We’ve been through this. It’s all yours, Reg. Is Cas in my study or the library?”

“She’s-”

_ “He’s” _

“He’s,” Regulus quickly corrected, shaking himself a bit for the slip.  _ “He’s _ in your study.”

“I’ll stop up there and then start on dinner, since I’m sure Emma has been otherwise engaged. Which reminds me, I’ll need to make contacts about hiring a house elf.” Sirius was already wandering down the hall, compiling lists in his head of all the tasks left to complete before they retired from the city.

“I’ll go down and start something to eat, which should be plenty of encouragement for you to hurry back.”

Sirius shuddered at the thought of his brother’s cooking skills, before proceeding toward his study. Stopping in the doorway, he smiled watching his son trying in vain to reach over the large wooden desk to unlatch the window where a small brown owl fluttered with a letter. As he started to climb onto the desk, one knee up on the table, Sirius stepped in to put a stop before he knocked all of Sirius’ documents to the floor.

“Why don’t you let me help you with that?”

Startled, the small boy fell back off the surface, landing on his butt with a thump. “Father!”

Sirius offered him a hand to stand before opening the window and accepting the letter, offering the owl a snack from a drawer in his desk he kept just for the purpose.

“Is it for me?!”

Skimming the letter quickly he nodded, pleased at hearing an answer from Lupin so quickly. “No, are you expecting a letter?” He frowned over the parchment at his son.

“Well, no, but I thought it could be Hogwarts.”

Sighing, he pulled the boy closer to him, straightening the suspenders that had become twisted from his climb on the desk. “Cas, we’ve been through this. You probably won’t until next year.”

The boy pulled back out of his grip, retucking his shirt into his shorts himself. “Yes, but it  _ could _ be this year. I’ll be 11 in September! I should get to go  _ this  _ year.”

“You’ll receive the letter  _ on your  _ 11th birthday. The school year will have already started when you receive it.”

The boy pouted but clearly tried to keep his composure and not stamp his foot in outright frustration. “Yes, father.”

“It’ll be alright. I was one of the oldest in my class, as well, remember?”

“Yes, father,” Cas repeated dejectedly.

“Chin up. Another whole year here with your old da and as many books as you can read.”

“What is the letter about, then?”

“This,” he tapped the parchment to the boy’s nose, “is a letter from the man I’m interviewing to be your tutor and take care of you lot while I’m at work.”

Cas pulled a face. “Will he live here?”

“Well, not  _ here _ because we will not be here.”

Grey eyes rolled toward the ceiling. “You know what I mean.”

“Yes, he will live with us. Now, no more talk of this until I decide if he’s the right one for the job. Will you go supervise your uncle and be sure he hasn’t burnt the kitchen down while I reply to this letter? I’ll be right down.”

Finding a freshly cut quill on his desk, Sirius penned a quick letter back, confirming the suggested day and time that Remus was available and providing the floo information for Grimmauld Place. The small owl held out its leg, patiently waiting for Sirius to affix the missive, before taking flight again.

Downstairs, the doors leading from the kitchen to the gardens were thrown up, fresh air and sunlight from the waning August evening filtering in. And ushering out smoke.

Cas stood waving a tea towel, attempting to push the clouds of grey outside and clear the air in the kitchen from the small disaster Regulus had created.

“I don’t understand!” Regulus exclaimed.

“I  _ told  _ you the wand motion was wrong.”

Regulus scowled. “What do you know, you’re only 10 and don’t have a wand.”

“Well,  _ apparently _ I know when the wand motion for boiling water is wrong, and you don’t, and you’re old.”

Sirius swept into the room, waving his wand and clearing the rest of the smoke from the room, though the burning smell lingered. There was naught he could do about that. “I see we’re off to a good start.”

Regulus held his hands up apologetically. “I’m not sure where it went wrong.”

Setting the tea towel down on the counter, Cas held a hand up to his mouth. “It was the wand movement,” he whispered conspiratorially to his father, not at all at a volume that would go unheard by his uncle. Sirius’ lip twitched and he turned to find his apron to hide it.

Unbuttoning his sleeves, he rolled them up past his elbows before waiving Regulus out of the way. “Out of my kitchen.”

“It’ll be  _ my  _ kitchen soon,” Regulus taunted with a smile.

“Yes, and then you’ll be free to burn the place down all you want, but until then, out.”

Cas folded his arms on the edge of the counter, resting his chin on them and watching Sirius. “What’s for dinner?”

“Corned beef and potatoes.”

Cas huffed, breath fluttering the hair that had fallen into his eyes. “I don’t like that.”

“Yes you do.” Sirius put a fresh pot on the stove that didn’t have any scorch marks from Regulus’ attempts to help, pointing his wand at it to fill with water while searching for potatoes. “We go through this every time I make it. You tell me you don’t like it, and then when we sit down to eat you say OH! I LIKE THIS! All excited like.”

The boy was quiet, rocking his hips back and forth as he continued to watch Sirius. “No I don’t,” he said finally.

Sirius sighed. “Can you go set the table?” Cas groaned. “Please, Cas? Help your da out, yeah?”

His sister-in-law came into the kitchen as Cas left for the dining room with a stack of plates. He paused his preparation to accept the kiss she placed on his cheek. “How was the Ministry?”

“The same as it always is. I’m sure you’ve heard enough about it in the past two years from my brother. I’m sorry the kids gave you trouble today.”

“Oh, not kids. Just the one.” She winked. “And it really was not a problem. Aurora needed a bath anyway, what is one more, yeah? Altair doesn’t even cry the whole time like she does!”

“I joke that he’s my recompense for all the troubles the first two gave me.”

Emma laughed, the sound light and bright, filling Sirius’ chest with warmth. He had never been more happy for his brother than when he had met Emma. She brought joy and happiness and warmth everywhere she went, and it was sorely needed in their family.

“I’ll help Cas finish setting the table.”

“Thank you, should be out in just a few more minutes,” Sirius answered over his shoulder as she left the room with the silverware. 

Once they were all seated and eating — even Cas, who tried to pretend he didn’t like the food just to keep up pretenses — Sirius brought up Remus Lupin.

“Reg, did you know Remus Lupin?”

Fork paused before his mouth, Regulus cocked his head curiously. “The Gryffindor prefect?”

“I think so.”

“Yes, of course.” He smiled crookedly, eyes distant as he remembered. “I would have bet my last Galleon that he caused as much trouble as he stopped back in those days, but he never got caught. Too smart for that. Good bloke though, and incredible dualist, from what I heard. Why?”

“Potter recommended him as governor.”

“Ah, is that what he’s up to these days?” Regulus chewed his meat thinking, before waving his fork vaguely. “It seems a bit… beneath him? One of the sharpest wizards of our time and he’s a governor?”

Sirius wasn’t sure how open Remus was about his lycanthropy, so he held his tongue. Sipping his wine, he felt pleased at least that his brother knew and generally approved of the man. “I’m meeting with him in two days, but I think this will solve that problem and we can finally be out of London then.”

“Yes, I think you’re right.” Regulus snorted over his own wine in amusement. “You two will get on.”

“What?”

“I mean-”

Laying a hand on her husbands arm, Emma interrupted, “What he  _ means _ is that you will find quite a friend in Remus and will have no problem living together. A good quality for someone that you will have to spend so much time with, yes?”

Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, Sirius looked back and forth between the two of them. Shrugging, he agreed noncommittally, unsure of what they were insinuating.

“Can I be done?” Saiph asked, drawing Sirius thoughts away.

“Three more bites, and then yes.”


End file.
